Mussolini was an Italian dictator who governed the country between 1918 and 1939. Unlike other dictators, Mussolini used a different approach in strengthening fascism. Mussolini introduced an education system where child
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Mussolini was an Italian dictator who governed the country between 1918 and 1939. Unlike other dictators, Mussolini used a different approach in strengthening fascism. Mussolini introduced an education system where children and youth would be fascists of the future. He wanted a military competent future population [ ]. As a result, boys were trained to be fierce soldiers while girls were raised to be good mothers who would nurture their future generations with essential skills required for Italy`s governance. The educational curriculum was created to brainwash the children into believing that Mussolini was the only Italian leader who would lead the country into a great world power shortly [ ]. The system was designed to prevent any political rebellion or opposition against his reign in the future.
Education System in Italy during Mussolini`s era
The education model in Italy during Mussolini`s era placed a lot of resources in training school-going boys to become young military personnel. The government introduced the slogan “Fighting is to the male and childbearing is to female.” Dictatorship in children took a different turn. Children were taught to be respectful and obedient to authority, unlike adults who were brutally punished for defying with the government outlines [ ]. Mussolini believed that the system would ensure future adult civilians instead of a population that would challenge the ways of administration. Before his reign, schools had a variety of historical books which provided knowledge about other forms of past administrations around the world. These books were censored and reduced to a single government textbook which only addressed the fascist guidelines[ ]. A lot of emphases was placed on Italy`s history to instill young children with the fascist theory pertaining the current and past trends of governance. The ministry of popular culture banned books which were termed as unsuitable to the dictatorship spirit. The government captured the rebellious adult population into the new education model by appointing obedient head teachers, teachers, and university lecturers into the new model. As a result, a substantial section of the population complied with Mussolini`s new approach, in an attempt of gaining favor and employment opportunities from the government [ ]. The ministry of education strengthened the commitment of teaching staff by introducing oaths of loyalty to their leader.
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